Friday, December 20, 2024

howdah \HOU-duh\, noun:

• (In the East Indies) a seat or platform for one or more persons, commonly with a railing and a canopy, placed on the back of an elephant.

Howdah has both Hindi and Arabic origins, both referring to the load carried by an elephant or camel: haudah in Hindi, and haudajin Arabic.

 

stoplight stagger

• That way you stagger your car at a stoplight so that your window isn't lined up directly with the car next to you so as to avoid awkward eye contact and/or open-window singalongs.

I was sure to do the stoplight stagger so that guy next to me wouldn't hear me singing along with Kelly Clarkson.

 

Trivia
What were the only four cabinet positions during George Washington’s presidency?

• Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of War, and Attorney General.

History

• Louisiana Purchase: the United States officially took possession of the territory from France (1803)
• South Carolina: became the first state to secede from the Union (1860)
• It's a Wonderful Life: Frank Capra's drama was screened for the first time, in NYC's Globe Theatre (1946)
• Berlin Wall: was opened for the first time since it was erected in 1961 (1963)
• Operation Just Cause: the US invaded Panama to overthrow and capture military leader Manuel Noriega, who stood accused of corruption and drug trafficking (1989)

Birthdays 

• Samuel Mudd 1833

  
• Harvey Firestone 1868
• Walter Adams 1876
• Branch Rickey (MLB) 1881
• Susanne Langer 1895
• Gabby (Charles) Harnett (MLB) 1900
• Irene Dunn 1901
• Max Lerner 1902
• Sidney Hook 1902
• Vagn Holmboe 1909
• Hortense Calisher 1911
• Eugene W. Smith 1918
• Audrey Totter 1918
• Ann Richards (actress) 1918
• George Roy Hill 1922
• James Leasor 1923
• David Levine 1926
• John Christiansen (NFL) 1928
• John Hillerman 1932
• Mattie Alou 1938 (MLB)
• Kim Weston 1939

  
• Bob Hayes (NFL) 1942
• Angel Tompkins 1943
• Bobby Colomby (Blood, Sweat & Tears) 1944
• Peter Criss (KISS) 1945
• Uri Geller 1946
• John Spencer 1946
• Dick Gibbs 1948 (NBA)
• Little Stevie Wright (The Easybeats) 1948
• Oscar Gamble (MLB) 1949
• Cecil Cooper (MLB) 1949
• Bill Clement (NHL) 1950

  Joey Silvera (t3h pr0n) 1951
• Jenny Agutter 1952
• Michael Badalucco 1954
• Blanche Baker 1956
• Billy Bragg 1958
• Mark Keyloun 1960
• Kris Tyler 1964
• Chris Robinson (The Black Crowes) 1966
  Brian O'Holloran (Clerks) 1969

  Nicole De Boer (Star Trek) 1970
  
• Jonah Hill 1983 

  Jillian Grace (playmate) 1986
• JoJo Noëlle Blagden Levesque 1990